The season so far: EPL review part 1
With the EPL season
starting to gather pace and the transfer window now closed, let’s have a quick
look at the teams taking part and how they’ve started the new season.
Arsenal
For the first time in
a few seasons, the Gunners have started their campaign with a stronger squad
than before and more importantly, they haven’t lost any key players to their
rivals.
The signing of Mesut
Ozil from Real Madrid shows their intent to challenge for honors, but Arsenal
are still short up front and may go for a striker in the January transfer
window after losing out on a loan deal for Chelsea’s Demba Ba.
Arsenal currently sit
at forth in the league, with their only loss coming in the opening game of the
season against Aston Villa. Since then they have won four games including a
derby at Tottenham, scoring nine goals and conceding two in all competitions.
Aston Villa
The Villians must be
looking to improve on a poor 15th place finish last season, but have
faced a nightmare start to the season in terms of fixtures. Villa have had to
play Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in their opening trio of game and collected
a respectable three points in their opener against Arsenal, as well as
performing well against Chelsea.
Manager Paul Lambert
did well to keep hold of Christian Benteke and the striker has started the
season well, with a brace at Arsenal as well as a goal against Chelsea.
Villa currently lie 13th
in the league, but have played a number of stronger teams and collected 3 more
points than most would have imagined.
Cardiff
The Welsh outfit
announced themselves to the EPL with a magnificent 3-2 win over Man City and
held Everton to a draw to show that their not just here to make up the numbers.
Cardiff were promoted
as winners of the Championship last season with the joint highest goals scored
in the league and bolstered their frontline with the signing of Peter
Odemwingie, as well as smashing their transfer record with the £11m signing of
defensive midfielder Gary Medel from Seville, who is known as “The Chilean
Gattuso.”
Chelsea
The Blues followed
routine wins over Hull and Aston Villa with a disappointing draw at Man Utd, in
which manager Jose Mourinho surprisingly played without a striker. (Although a
point away from home against the Champions is usually lauded, the manner in
which the team set out was very negative.)
Last years Europa
League winners have improved their squad with a number of buys, including £30m
Brazilian Willian and former Barca striker Samuel Eto’o, who should perform
better than the oft misfiring Fernando Torres.
Chelsea are undefeated
and only have Liverpool above them in the league. If they can start firing on
all cylinders, they have a good chance to win the title in a season of upheaval
at most of the big clubs.
Crystal Palace
Palace have responded
well to back-to-back defeats in their opening two league games with a win
against Sunderland to collect their first points of the season. Manager Ian
Holloway signed no less than 14 players during the window, including former
Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh and Adrian Mariappa.
Competition for places
in the 25 man squad has led to trouble, with new arrival Florian Marange said
to be “disgusted” that he didn’t make the squad. Striker Stephan Dobbie is
another high profile player to miss the cut for Palace.
The team needs time to
gel, even their win against Sunderland came after John O’Shea was sent off,
(conceding a penalty which was scored) but they have a good squad and there
should be improvement as they start to settle in.
Continue to PART TWO HERE:
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